All Pens and Ephemera

Persian blue is one of our Sheaffer favorites. This Sheaffer Sentinel is an especially attractive vintage pen. The vacuum-fil filling system has been restored and works well. However, we are noticing an issue with it as it writes. The firm extra-fine 14k gold nib writes nicely, but it seems to deposit a little blob of ink every couple words. There is a dent on the right side of the cap, too. The rest of the pen looks fine with a little wear from use. This pen sports its White Dot on the tip of the blind cap! Really neat feature. 12.7cm capped.

Lamy Tipo pens are great all-purpose ballpoint for work and play. Ours is red with minimal wear and a strong clicker. The only problem is that it is dried out and we don't have any replacement M66 refills. But, how often do we have pens for under $10? 12.6cm.

The original Sheaffer Valiant came with a vacuum-fil filler system. The color is a rarer umber brown. There is a little light wear from use. There is no brassing, no cracks or deep scratches. You can see in the photo that the cap pushed a little of the softer barrel plastic back where it closes. This vintage pen was restored by the great Sherrell Tyree, who is a renowned Sheaffer expert. You will write a smooth fine-medium line with its two-tone 14k gold Triumph nib. Oh, and it has nice ink-view window clarity. Click the headline for close-ups. Wide bodied and 13.3cm capped.

Lamy Logo ballpoint pens are often overlooked, but they are great additions to any fan of post-modern design and a nice writing experience. Our pen was gently used, but it still looks pretty close to new. It has a nice, strong clicker. Its proprietary Lamy ballpoint refill writes a nice blue line. The fact it was made way back in "West Germany" is an added bonus. 13.5cm

We picked up an unused 5-pack of Lamy Charged Green ink in a collection. This ink was only made for a year. We think we remember that year as being 2016. You can see the cartridges are starting to dry out. Use it up quickly. Lamy cartridges are proprietary to Lamy pens only.

We don't often get excited about ringtop fountain pens, but this Parker Lady Duofold is something else. It is pretty close to mint for a 100-year-old pen. Really crisp milling on the top of the cap and blind cap. Deep, sharp imprint that is kinda uncommon for Lady Duofolds. Our vintage pen has been fully restored with a new ink sac. The only real imperfection with the pen is that the cap is several shades lighter than the barrel. Yet, it has a raised cap band, which is often desired. Click the headline for close-ups. Its 14k gold nib writes a smooth fine line with a hint of feedback. It has a "Christmas tree" inkfeed. No brassing. 12cm capped.

Another West German Lamy Safari ballpoint has arrived. It doesn't look 40ish years old. In fact, there are only light traces of wear. Even its West German-made refill still seems to be working. Click the headline for close-ups. It is interesting that it has that little beige band around the top. 13.8cm capped.

If you are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime grail pen. A true grail-quest pen. This oversized Sheaffer Balance Demonstrator might be it. This beauty is something we have never seen before and likely something we will never see again. No cracks. No matter what your screen indicates, it has discolored to a pale yellow-green. The section jiggles a little. There a touch of brassing on the trim. Possibly a touch of krazing at the ends...could also just be the way things come together on the insides. We don't know if the 14k gold Secretary nib is original...but who cares. That nib alone is quite rare. It has a fresh ink sac. However, we'd never use it. It would be the centerpiece of our museum display...if we had a museum display. We dipped the nib, and it writes a nice medium line with light feedback. Click the headline for a close-up! 14.1cm capped.